An Awfully Big Adventure

An Awfully Big Adventure

‘An Awfully Big Adventure’ is a wet British drama set in the years straight after World War II when everything was rationed including, apparently, happiness. The action takes place in Liverpool, a small town served by a small theatre which is as provincial as it gets that’s why every person involved in it is acutely aware of how far away from London they are.

“ You are,” confirms the director on the first day of rehearsal to his cast, “the best people we could get for money.” They do not look happy at this statement but they are not surprised either. Hugh Grant plays the character of Meredith Potter who is a damaged person himself: bitter and chain-smoking man he is too tight with his feelings because once upon a time he let them go too far and got hurt real bad.

Into this mess comes an aspiring actress Stella (Georgina Cates) who will take any position just to be closer to what she perceives as theatrical glamour and where she lives she’s not wrong. She gets taken on as an assistant stage manager and soon starts finding out about different things people hide within company although some very big ones are left until the end of the movie.

Also men from company make passes at her one person’s approach changes completely when she says: ‘I don’t like feelin’ it thank you very much.’ Stella isn’t most beautiful girl ever seen so some reviewers have criticized how other members of cast become attracted towards her; these critics miss point because emotional beggars can’t afford to be choosy and Stella shines against all weariness due to her comparative innocence and naivety.

Theatre goes through its repertory season with great difficulty until accident leaves them without enough actors. There’s nothing else for it but to ring up P.L. O’Hara played by invaluable British character actor Alan Rickman who has become legendary in the profession, as a man of enormous talent who has misplaced his skills and who hides disappointment under sarcasm.

Rickman (the villain from American movies like ‘Die Hard’ or ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’) is company’s ex-resident heavy best Capt. Hook ever seen. Soon he has got Stella hooked; she isn’t so much helpless as willing; she surrenders before he attacks.

‘An Awfully Big Adventure’ is a true to life reflection on any theatrical company and its emotional snarls this comes from Beryl Bainbridge’s novel which may be partly autobiographical. However the film fails at being dramatic or melodramatic.

The sudden endings are so big that they should come earlier in fairness to audience there needs to be another act after whole movie.

This movie was directed by Mike Newell (“Enchanted April”, “Four Weddings And A Funeral”) who had to deal with the problem of having no one in his movie being particularly nice. Hugh Grant, who starred in this film before “Four Weddings,” has just been criticized for trying too hard to be charming and endearing.

Not so here; this along with “The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain” shows that he can do anything as an actor. But his character needs somebody desperately crying out for others to counterpoint the overall sadness rather than echoing it.

Watch An Awfully Big Adventure For Free On Gomovies.